George m



(No Model.)

G. M. TINKER.

BALL BEARING.

No. 597,444. Patented Jan. 18, 1898.

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nu (D UNITED STATES PA'rEivi1 EErcE.

GEORGE M. TINKER, OF VALTl-IAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR -TO lIHE AMERICAN VVALTH AM MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BALL-BEARING,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,444, dated January 18, 1898. Application tiled September l', 1897. Serial No. 651,969. (No model.) Patented in England August 1, 1896, 17,120; in

France August 4, 1896,1l0. 258,623, and in Belgium December 2,1896,No. 124,91-Vv To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. TINKER, of Valtham, in the county' of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball-Bearings, (for which patents have been granted in the following countries: Great Britain, dated August 1, 1S96,No.17,120; France, dated August 4, 1396, No.28,623, and Belgium, dated to December 2, 1896, No. 124,916 of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ballbearings such as those employed for the wheels and crankaxles of bicycles, and more particularly to bearings having an annular series of balls and a separating device between the balls to hold them apart from each other. Bearings of this class are shown in Letters Patent of the United States No 570,428, granted to Elzo mer O. l-lowe October 27, 1896.

ri`he particular object of the present invention is to provide an improvement in the separator employed in bearings such as those shown in the said patent; and to this end the invention consists in the novel features of construction and arrangement which I shall now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a bicycle-wheel hub with the axle in elevation. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the separator detached. Fig. 4C represents a longitudinal sec- 3, 5 tion of a bicycle-hub, kin which another form of my invention is employed for separating the balls. Fig. '5 represents a perspective view of the second separator. Fig. 6 represents an end elevation of a hub provided with the modied form of separator.

The same reference-characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, a a represent the balls, which are interposed between the cones b b on the axle fand the cups b b on the hub d. The cups and cones forming the ball-track may be arranged in any of the well-known relations; but for a wheel-bearin g I prefer the arrangement shown in the drawings, Where the cups are sunk in the hubs and the cones 5o are screwed on the axle.

In carrying out one forxn of my invention I provide separators consisting of rin gs broken or notched to form projections g2 to extend horizontally between the balls into the ballreceiving spaces between the cones and the cups. The rings are formed with inwardlyprojecting ilanges or plates g," which are notched, as at g', and which themselves lie iiat against the vertical faces of the cups b. The 6o separators are prevented from longitudinal displacement in the direction of the cups b' by their contact with the transverse faces or bottoms of said cups. They are further pro vided, as here shown, with horizontal annular shoulders g3, fitting loosely in the central aper tures of said cups, which shoulders serve to prevent radial or transverse displacement of the separators and iiinally the inner edges of the notches gp', which rest lightly against 7o the balls a, serve to prevent displacement of the separators in the direction of said balls. It is to be noted that the plates g are placed put of the path of the balls and perform no part in separating them, the separation being performed entirely by the projections g2, which contact with the balls about half-way between the cups and the cones. The projections g2 are not necessarily exactly parallel withthe axle f, but should extend in a gen- 8O eral direction longitudinally thereof. The separators are of course loosely mounted and free to revolve around the axle with the balls. It is not essential, however, that the separator be provided with the plate g and S5 with the annular flange or shoulder g3, since it maybe constructed as portrayed in Figs. 4c, 5, and 6. In these last-mentioned iigures the separator is illustrated as being a ring 72 notched at hito form projections h2 to extend 90 between the balls into the ball-path. The inner edge of each separator by contacting with the vertical face of one of the cups is held against longitudinal movement or displacement, andbyreagson of the notches being smaller in cross-diameterthan the Adiametefftle'balls the edges of thek shoulders engage the'balls and are heldthereby against radial or transverse displacement, as will be readily understood. The rings are beveled at 72,3 to receive the balls loosely in the notches and thereby decrease the friction.

The above construction of separators is found in practice to be greatly superior to the separators now in use. The latter are found in practice to wear away in the portions betweeen the balls, denoting that there is undue friction upon them; but an extended use of those constructed in accordance with my present invention indicates that the friction upon the separators is almost negligible.

In the bearings illustrated in the accompanying drawings there are three balls in each race, but it will be understood that the number of the balls is not material.

I claiinl l. In a ball-bearing, in combination with an axle, a cup, and a cone, balls mounted to travel in the annular space between said cup and cone, and a separator bearing against the cup, and having portions which extend between the balls in a direction substantially parallel with the axle.

2. In a ball-bearing7 in combination with a cup and a cone, balls mounted to travel in the annular space between said cup and cone, and a separator consisting of a ring adapted to lie against the transverse portion of the cup nd having projections extending between the alls. l

In a ball-bearing, in combination with an axle, a cup, and a cone, balls mounted :o travel in the annular space between said cup and cone, and a separator comprising a notched plate adapted to lie against the transverse portion of the cup, and having projections between the notches, extending between the balls in a direction substantially parallel to the axle, and an annular shoulder on said plate fitting loosely into the central aperture of the cup.

4. In a ball-bearing, in combination with an axle, a cup, and a cone, balls mounted to travel in the annular space between said cup and cone, and a separator comprising a notched ring, adapted to lie against the transverse portion ot the cup, and having projec tions between the notches, extending between t-he balls in a direction substantially parallel to the axle, said balls being greater in diameter than said notches, whereby said separator is maintained in position by the engagement 0f the edges of the notches with the balls.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence or' two subscribing witnesses, this 16th day or' August, A. D. 1897.

GEO. M. TINKER.

Vitnesses:

B. A. GoonnLL, C. A. SKERRY. 

